NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The practice of yoga meditation, on a regular basis, improves mental and physical health, and limits physical stress and inflammation, according to a recent American study.
The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Southern California, USA, and published their findings, in the journal Frontiers in Human Neuroscience Scientific.
The researchers observed a sample of people who practiced yoga and meditation regularly for 3 months and found that the sport positively affected neurotransmitters in the brain and had a positive effect on improving personal well-being.
The researchers noted that participants in the study had decreased levels of anxiety and depression, and decreased levels of so-called "cytokines", an inflammatory stimulant. The researchers also noted an improvement in areas of the nervous system, responsible for learning and memory and organizing complex processes such as inflammation, mood regulation, And metabolism.
Previous studies have shown that the exercise of meditation for 25 minutes a day, for 3 days in a row, reduce the levels of hormone "cortisol" known as stress hormone, and remove stress and psychological pressure, and it reduces the aging of the brain, which affects humans with age, Which affects the functions of the nervous system responsible for processing information.
Meditation is achieved when a person creates a picture in the mind of a certain object, and then focuses on it in a holistic manner, so that he can not see anything around him, except that which he has painted in his mind.
As breathing is important and necessary in the process of meditation, it is deeply and quietly, and once you begin to meditate you find that the breathing process is done regularly.
The meditation should be in a quiet place, the lighting should be natural and moderate, the fresh air should be filled with the sides of the room, and the room temperature should be moderate.
The meditator sits comfortably in a "squat position", with the spine in a straight and comfortable position, and the head is perpendicular to the shoulders.
The more upright the spine, the more easily the breathing process is, and the blood circulation is organized. It is possible to tilt the head slightly forward for more relaxation, with the hands resting on the knees. Recent research has concluded that interventions in the body and mind such as " "Meditation and breathing regulation can alter and delay genetic infections caused by stress.
The researchers reviewed 18 studies on meditation, yoga and mind practices, which included 836 participants over 11 years. When processing data, they found that molecular changes occur when brain and body interventions are combined, and these changes have a strong impact on chronic stress and physical and mental health.
In the event of stress, the nervous system produces a molecule called NF-kB that regulates the expression of genes. In times of stress, this molecule increases the production of inflammatory proteins known as cytokines to give a rapid boost to the immune system.
This process may be useful in certain situations (especially hard situations), but it may cause imbalance when repeated.
